CBPHC Researcher profile: Martin Fortin

Project title

Improving primary health care for people living with multiple chronic diseases

Who

Dr. Martin Fortin, Applied Chair in Health Services and Policy Research on Chronic Diseases in Primary Care funded by CIHR, the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, and the Centre de santé et de services sociaux de Chicoutimi; Professor and Director of Research for the Department of Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke.

Issue

The vast majority of patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and asthma are seen by family physicians in a primary care setting. The majority of these patients have more than one disease or chronic condition at the same time. Multiple chronic diseases result in poor quality of life, psychological distress, and additional problems related to the use of medication.

Approach

Dr. Fortin is working to find healthcare solutions for people dealing with multiple chronic conditions or diseases. He is currently working on the development of new models of care based on interprofessional collaboration.

One such initiative, called PR1MaC, is bringing together researchers, primary care professionals, and regional decision makers to work on integrating chronic disease rehabilitation services into primary health care. The project aims to improve access to these services by bringing them closer to the point of entry of the patient into the health system.

Dr. Fortin collaborates with colleagues from Canada and around the world to find solutions to primary health care problems. One such collaborative effort is a project called "Optimizing the Use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in Primary Health Care Chronic Disease Management" (in partnership with the University of Western Ontario). This international team will conduct a program of research that will produce specific evidence to recommend ways to optimize the use of EMRs in chronic disease management in Canada.

Impact

Ultimately, Dr. Fortin's goal is to help optimize healthcare for people living with multiple chronic conditions, thereby improving their health and their quality of life.

Date modified:

2013-07-11